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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24319543">You're Not Allowed to Die</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarnItTumbleweed/pseuds/DarnItTumbleweed'>DarnItTumbleweed</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Life After Beth (2014), Matthew Gray Gubler - Fandom</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, F/M, Love, Marriage Proposal, Romance, Some Humor, Survival, Zombies</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 04:42:23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>19,020</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24319543</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarnItTumbleweed/pseuds/DarnItTumbleweed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Y/N knows Kyle Orfman is a bit odd. He's not perfect by any means. He's been working a dead in job as a security guard for his family's housing development and then there's his whole stern personality to deal with. He's kind of a stick in the mud but she still loves him. When the world goes to hell and it turns out that Kyle's brother Zach was right about the dead coming back, Y/N and Kyle are forced to face an uncertain future. That means making some decisions about the future of their relationship.</p><p>Just because I thirst watched this film for Matthew Gray Gubler and a oneshot had to happen.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>kyle orfman/reader</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>One lesson she’d learned over her twenty something odd years of living was that making love on her boyfriend’s full-sized bed, while trying to keep the noise level to a minimum so that his parents nor his brother would hear just what they were up to, was easier said than done.</p><p>She’d lost track of the amount of times their bedroom activities had involved her boyfriend’s thin large hand placed over her mouth to muffle the noises he managed to pull from her. Of course during these moments his face was buried against her neck to muffle his own sounds. </p><p>They’d unfortunately learned the hard way that they weren’t capable of being quiet...thankfully they’d learned that lesson after her roommate had slammed against the bedroom wall yelling for them to “shut the fuck up and climax already.”</p><p>It had been awkward, but at least it hadn’t been his parents that had heard it. </p><p>That had technically been the start of her roommate despising Kyle...which had lead Y/N and he to spend more time at his parent’s house vs. her apartment. </p><p>They’d figured they’d have equal amounts of privacy at both residences. At least at the Orfman residence they didn’t have to hear snarky comments about their relationship from her moody roommate. </p><p>At least they’d solved the issue with his bed creaking which had definitely made it way too obvious just what they’d been up to to anyone who might just pass by his locked bedroom door. The creaking bed had resulted in an awkward conversation the morning after a tryst between Kyle and his father about the importance of protection and not giving his parents grandchildren before marriage.</p><p>Needless to say, for Y/N dating Kyle Orfman was occasionally filled with awkward little moments.</p><p>Y/N wasn’t above admitting that she’d been tempted to run for the hills, on their second date, when Kyle had confessed to her that he still technically lived with his parents and his younger brother.</p><p>It should be a red flag after all. That wasn’t the only red flag about Kyle of course. </p><p>There was also the fact that he’d tried and failed to gain a spot in the police force more times than he’d willingly admit. He’d been trying for almost a decade now, but he never quite seemed to make it.</p><p>It wasn’t that he didn’t know the material needed to actually earn a place in the academy. He’d taken a the courses he’d needed at the local community college. He’d taught her self defense for heavens sake which showed he was more than capable of safely taking down a perp. He could recite local laws and police code to her without even having to think twice. He was a good shot and well versed in gun safety and protocol. He’d even taught Y/N to shoot a gun and had helped her prepare to get a gun license.</p><p>Kyle had been to the police academy and he’d managed to do exceedingly well in every test placed in front of him...every test but the obstacle courses.</p><p>The physical part of the job screwed Kyle over every single time. He wasn’t unhealthy. He worked out and according to his physician he was in perfectly good health. He probably did drink too much red bull though. He was probably too thin as well to be honest. For the most part though he was physically healthy. </p><p>It was just that he’d screwed up his knee when he was eighteen. His poor knee still ached from time to time which meant he’d failed miserably the last few times he’d tried to get through the physical aspects of actually gaining a spot in the local police force. </p><p>His knee made his movements through the obstacle course a little clumsy. He was fast enough, but the instructor had decided that Kyle was just too clumsy to earn a spot on the force. He’d gotten so close to passing, only to fail. </p><p>By now it had become a bit of a joke among those in charge of the testing. They’d make snarky remarks when Kyle showed up for another test. They asked him why he hadn’t given up by now. They made jokes about him being a wannabe cop. </p><p>For Kyle it had been heartbreaking. He’d always wanted to be a cop, ever since he was a child. It was his dream. He loved the idea of protecting and serving his community. He had wanted nothing more than to earn a place on the local police force, but he just couldn’t manage to make his dream a reality.</p><p>She was amazed he hadn’t become bitter by now...one thing she’d learned about her boyfriend was that Kyle was filled with a sense of hope and belief that his dream would become a reality. It would just take a little hard work. He firmly believed that if he was determined enough and tried hard enough that he’d make his dream a reality.</p><p>He promised her that the second he made his dream come true he’d finally earn enough for them to get a place of their own. Once he was able to get on the force he’d make sure that they could finally start the future they’d talked about time and time again.</p><p>For now Kyle worked at what was honestly a little bit of a dead end job as private security for his family’s housing development. </p><p>He took his job seriously, probably too seriously. Y/N couldn’t help but to respect his dedication though. He was probably the most dedicated person she’d ever met.</p><p>It was one of the first things she’d noticed about him when they’d met a little over a year before. </p><p>She’d been a little amused of how out of place he’d looked when he’d walked into the hair salon she’d worked at, looking for a trim to maintain his uppercut. He’d shifted in place looking uncomfortable in the salon as he’d admitted that his usual barber was closed so the owner could attend a funeral. </p><p>Y/N could admit she’d found him kind of cute, a little odd and way more clean cut than the kinds of guys she usually found herself drawn to, but cute none the less.</p><p>She’d cut his hair for him and she’d be lying if she tried to pretend that she didn’t flirt just the tiniest bit. </p><p>He’d seemed to respond to her flirting, a little shyly, but it had been a response none the less.</p><p>She’d just been finishing up Kyle’s haircut when some jackass had decided to steal the tip jar off the desk by the cash register.</p><p>Y/N had watched dumbfounded as Kyle had jumped up from his seat turning to face her as he’d spoken. “Call the police and report we have a 484 in progress. Tell them I am in pursuit of the perp.”</p><p>And with that he’d taken off running after the guy. It had been a bit comical really, Kyle running from the salon the hair-cutting cape still fastened around his shoulders chasing down a guy who was running for his life with a glass tip jar loose change jangling as he ran. </p><p>Kyle hadn’t managed to catch the guy...and the cops had seemed unamused and unimpressed as Kyle had all too eagerly explained what had happened using all the appropriate lingo as Y/N had made a police report.</p><p>Still though, his attempts to chase down the guy had impressed her. It was sweet really, he’d gone through all of that just to attempt to retrieve a jar full of what was probably less than 100 bucks.</p><p>She’d attempted to suggest that they get coffee, hoping she could disguise her attempts to ask him on a date with the guise of just wanting to thank him for going through the trouble...but her stupid boss had interrupted the moment insisting that it was time to shut down the store, they had enough excitement for the day.</p><p>So, she’d been forced to part from Kyle mentally cursing her dumb boss for totally cockblocking her. </p><p>She’d told herself it was useless really. Y/N never attracted nice guys. It was just her luck, she’d attracted a seemingly nice guy only to have her boss stop her from even getting his number.</p><p>Y/N had been stunned when Kyle had shown back up at the salon a few days later his head held high as he’d spoken to her. “I just wanted to update you on the incident that occurred a few days ago.”</p><p>Y/N had tiled her head to the side at just how official he sounded...he really was an odd duck. He’d not given her a chance to speak as he spoke again that confidence he’d been displaying tampering down just a little a small grimace crossing his lips. “I tried to get the police to give me a clearer update of the situation, but they weren’t that eager to share. They told me that they’re working on it though.”</p><p>Y/N had raised a well manicured brow her head still tilted just a bit as she’d spoken. “Yeah, uh..that officer mentioned that the guy who stole our tip jar is a tweaker...he’s kind of known for pulling this crap.”</p><p>She’d paused taking a deep breath deciding to just go for it. Her boss wasn’t hanging around to cockblock her this time around. It was worth a shot. “My lunch break is about to start...do you maybe want to get lunch? My treat, ya know...as a thank you for at least trying to catch the guy.”</p><p>“You don’t need to thank me, I was just doing the right thing.” Kyle had insisted that confidence returning to him at her praise.</p><p>Y/N had tried not to totally deflate at the response...okay, cool rejection. She could deal with that. Maybe she’d just been reading him wrong. Yeah, he’d seemed to respond to her flirting, but maybe he just wasn’t that into her.</p><p>Kyle frowned taking notice of the slump in her shoulders and the avoidance of eye contact. He felt that frown deepen as it hit him just what had happened. </p><p>He’d spoken that confidence he’d been displaying dipping off yet again. “Wait...did you mean, like lunch as in a date?”</p><p>Y/N tried to hold back the nervous laughter from escaping her. So now he got it. She was tempted to point out that she was almost sure she was going to have to spell it out for him. </p><p>She held back the smart comment though choosing instead to nod her head. “I was thinking maybe lunch...and if we like each other enough to want to meet up again, then yeah it could be a date.”</p><p>Kyle had nodded his head a shy smile crossing his lips as he’d spoken. “Okay, that sounds good to me.”</p><p>That had been that. They’d eaten at a diner down the street from the salon and they’d found out that they did in fact like each other enough to want to meet up again. In fact they’d met up again for dinner the next night. Her friends and her coworkers had a good laugh at her expense on how odd Kyle was. She'd heard enough jokes about how she was taking the whole phrase "fuck the police" too literally and then the jokes had expanded to "it doesn't count cause he's technically not a cop." So yeah, people didn't exactly get her attraction to Kyle, but Y/N knew she didn't need people to get it.</p><p>No, Kyle Orfman wasn’t the perfect guy...he had some baggage and there were some red flags...but he was perfect enough for Y/N.</p><p>Sure, he was kind of a stick in the mud most of the time...that official tone of voice she’d spotted from him that day was apparently just part of his personality. He took things pretty seriously, especially his sense of justice and his current job...which gave people the impression that he had no sense of humor. He was by far the most moral person she knew, he had no tolerance for those who broke the law. In Kyle’s eyes breaking the law was still breaking the law no matter how tiny the offense was. His sternness could give people the impression that he was kind of an asshole sometimes...but Y/N didn’t really think that calling him an asshole with a stuck lodged up his ass was really a fair accurate assessment of his personality. </p><p>Then of course was the fact that he was a neat-freak, almost to the point of it being OCD. He cleaned his gun nightly insisting that a clean weapon was a maintained weapon. His room was spotless, never even a dirty sock on the floor or an item out of place. He could be high strung, and it took a lot to get him to relax once he got started freaking out...but that was mostly due to his anxiety issues. </p><p>She knew that underneath the more abrasive parts of his personality really did lie a sweet guy. She knew that sounded so cliché...an asshole with a heart of gold. It was true though. Kyle was sweet to her. He made her laugh when he wasn’t being such a stick in the mud. The sex was amazing. He doted on her. He made her feel safe...safer than she’d ever felt with anyone. He’d promised her he’d take care of her, and she believed him.</p><p>He really was a sweet guy and she was proud to call Kyle Orfman hers.</p><p>Y/N struggled to steady her breathing as Kyle finally pulled from her rolling over onto his back the lack of space in his bed meaning that their sweat-dampened bodies remained still touching hip to hip even as he rested on his back.</p><p>He made quick work removing the condom from his spent member before tying the rubber and tossing it in the wastebasket by the bed.</p><p>She wasn’t surprised as he opened his arms for her she eagerly curling up against him her head resting over his chest.</p><p>He stroked her back she frowning as the air flipped on in his room making the sweat on her body feel sticky and leaving her feeling clammy. The air conditioner had felt good on the hot July night when she’d first arrived at Kyle’s parents house for dinner, but now that she was sweaty and nude it felt less than pleasant. </p><p>Kyle apparently spotted the frown he moving fast to pull the blue plaid comforter back up over their bodies before they both settled back down.</p><p>They lie in silence for a long moment still both trying to settle their breathing as Kyle finally spoke. “So, have you thought about it?”</p><p>“Thought about what?” She asked her fingers reaching up to smooth back his hair knowing he hated having even a strand out of place.</p><p>She spoke fast to attempt to distract him before he had a chance to push the conversation towards a subject she wasn’t entirely thrilled to talk about. “I love you.”</p><p>Kyle gave her a small smile spotting exactly what she was doing. He pressed a quick peck to her lips as he spoke up. “I love you too, which is why I want you to come with me on this vacation.”</p><p>She sighed shaking her head her fingers still stroking his hair. “Didn’t your mom and dad say that this whole tropical vacation thing they’re planning is a family only thing when you brought me coming along up with them?”</p><p>“They did and you know exactly what I told them?” He replied pausing his head leaning back soaking up her touch. He was definitely a sucker for a little scalp massage.</p><p>He spoke again answering the question for her. “I told them that I very much intend on putting a ring on your finger the second I save enough money to actually give you something you deserve, so that makes you my family.”</p><p>She felt her cheeks flush ever so slightly at the comment knowing that it wasn’t an entirely new subject for them. As things had begun to grow more and more serious for them they’d begun to discuss plans for the future. Marriage was definitely in those plans, Kyle told her that he had to get on the force first though...he wanted to make sure that he could actually provide for her if he was to marry her. </p><p>She’d of course resisted the urge to role her eyes and point out that she had a job and definitely wasn’t some helpless little woman who needed her husband to be the breadwinner....she held it in though knowing it was just part of who Kyle was. He didn’t mean it that way. He just thought that he should at least have some stability in his life before he made a life with her.</p><p>Y/N could admit, the more Kyle failed to secure a spot on the police force, the more she feared that she’d never get that marriage proposal.</p><p>She pushed back this fear not having long to focus on it as Kyle spoke again. “If it’s a money thing, I’ve already told you that my parents are perfectly willing to pay your way.”</p><p>Y/N resisted the urge to grimace at this comment...yeah it was kind of a money thing.</p><p>The socioeconomic differences between her and Kyle’s family had been pretty apparent to her the first time Kyle had insisted on bringing her to his place to meet his family.</p><p>They had a freaking pool in their backyard for heavens sake. They lived in Briar Grove which was one of the nicer gated housing communities in town. </p><p>Everyone who lived there was upper middle class at least. They all had  McMansions with pools in the backyards and nice maintained yards and housekeepers. Briar Grove had it’s own private security force to monitor the neighborhood...it was a large housing community, but still...they had a security team to watch the area. It was ridiculous. </p><p>People in Briar Grove didn’t live in the real world. </p><p>It was a far cry from the shitty apartment on a bad side of town her single mother had raised her in. It was an even further cry from the shitty apartment she shared with a roommate now as an adult.</p><p>She cleared her throat not exactly wanting to touch on the obvious class differences too deeply as she spoke. “It’s not just that...I mean, I do feel weird when your family tries to do nice things for me. Especially when it involves money...but it’s how my roommate would react that’s making me wary of this whole vacation thing, too. What am I supposed to tell her? That I’m just gallivanting off to some island somewhere for a few weeks and to figure out rent all on her own because I’ll be taking some vacation time and getting a smaller paycheck? She’s already got plenty to say about me dating you Kyle, Pretty sure you whisking me off from rental payments isn’t going to make her anymore pleasant to be around.”</p><p>Kyle rolled his eyes a small huff leaving him. “I don’t know why she has such a vendetta against me. I have been nothing but pleasant to her since we met.”</p><p>Y/N twisted her lips trying not to chuckle. She raised an eyebrow sending him a look that read that he knew exactly why her roommate hated him. “You lectured her about drug possession when you spotted her with edibles...which is exactly why she refuses to refer to you as anything more than a narc.”</p><p>Kyle let out another huff not above starting up the same rant she’d heard a million times when it came to her roommate. “Do you know just how illegal it is to have marijuana in your possession without a valid medical marijuana license in the state of California Y/N? It only became legal for medicinal use in 1996 and you need approval from a physician and a valid and non-expired license to have any form of marijuana in your possession. I know for a fact Ruth does not have a valid reason to have drugs in her possession. I don’t want you getting into trouble because of her carelessness. I don’t think caring about whether or not my girlfriend is caught up in a drug felony charge because of her roommate’s carelessness makes me a narc.”</p><p>She resisted the urge to chuckle again at his rant. He really could be high strung as all hell when he wanted to be. She pressed a series of kisses to his jawline knowing that this was usually the best way to shut him up when he got started on his little rants about right and wrong, was to distract him.</p><p>He allowed a soft groan to leave him as she worked her way down to his neck. He held back the stir of lust in his groin as he spoke up not shying away from saying it. “If your roommate is that big of an issue then you could always live with me...I know my room doesn’t have the most space...but we could make it work...you’re here all the time as it is...and your clothing is already filling a few drawers in my dresser.”</p><p>Y/N pulled from his neck rolling her eyes as she stared up at him unable to hide the sarcasm from her voice. “Oh yeah, your mom would love that.”</p><p>Kyle frowned not missing the tone of her voice. He pressed a kiss to Y/N’s forehead trying to soothe any annoyance in her voice. “She does like you...I know things were rocky at first, but she likes you. My parents love you. They understand why I haven’t gotten a place of my own just yet, and they’d be fine with you living here too...I mean if you contribute to the rent I’m paying them I know it wouldn’t be a problem.”</p><p>Y/N resisted the urge to cringe at the suggestion. She loved her boyfriend, she really really did. She did intend on marrying him when he did finally propose after all. She wanted a future with him, but she wasn’t above admitting that it could be awkward navigating an adult relationship around his parents. Kyle was nearly thirty...so it felt a bit strange having his parents so close by. She wasn’t entirely sure she could handle officially living at the Orfman residence 24/7.</p><p>At least when Kyle and she could dodge her roommate they could get some alone time. How would they manage alone time if there was no apartment to escape too?</p><p>Noah Orfman might like her well enough, Kyle’s father did seem to be happy to see her when she visited. He seemed to notice the way his son looked at her. She wasn’t entirely sure that Judy Orfman completely adored her the way Kyle claimed though...Y/N was more than sure that she wasn’t the girl Judy envisioned for her eldest son. </p><p>It had been pretty clear just what Y/N’s background was when she’d had to answer questions about where she went to high school and what her parents did for a living over that first family dinner at the Orfmans. </p><p>Y/N had ignored Kyle’s apologetic glances and attempts to change the subject as she’d explained that her mother worked as a waitress on the night shift when she wasn’t spending her nights drunk and Y/N had no idea what her father did for a living because she’d never met the guy. </p><p>Needless to say, Y/N had quickly gotten the feeling that a cosmologist from a broken home wasn’t really what Judy Orfman wanted her son to settle down with. She was pretty sure Judy would much rather have Kyle with a daughter of one of her friends.</p><p>No, Judy hadn’t been rude to her or outright obvious about her disapproval...but Y/N still had a feeling that Kyle’s mother and she wouldn’t be making friendship bracelets anytime soon.</p><p>Y/N quickly decided that she needed to distract her boyfriend before they got into this conversation, She leaned up pressing soft kisses along his jaw working her way up to his lips as she spoke teasing him a smile crossing her lips as she continued to press soft kisses against his skin. “Why are you so intent on taking me on vacation? Are you feeling a little clingy?”</p><p>Kyle managed to smile against the kisses as he spoke. “Maybe, I just really want you there. Come on baby, it’s Turks or Cacios. I want you there. We can even get our own room. It’ll be nice. We’ll get some real privacy for once.”</p><p>He paused the playful feeling fading the words slipping from him before he could stop them. “I won’t lie though...I probably am feeling kind of clingy...just because ya know...all the crap that’s been happening lately..with my brother and Beth.”</p><p>Y/N felt the smile drop from her lips not missing the look in Kyle’s eyes. She felt her stomach churn at the implication behind his words.</p><p>His little brother’s girlfriend had died and well, Zachary Orfman wasn’t taking it well. He was spending a lot of time with Beth’s parents enough so that it had seemed to overwhelm them at first given that Kyle had to escort his brother from the Slocum residence. </p><p>That was the last thing she’d heard about the entire issue. Kyle seemed to want to shy away from talking about it too much, though she could sense that he was more troubled by the situation than he’d let on. She’d decided not to push it yet though...she knew how Kyle worked. He would need to bring it up first before she pressed him on it.</p><p>She spoke knowing he was ready to talk about it now. “Zach’s still having a rough time?”</p><p>Kyle let out a small huff rolling her eyes ever so slightly allowing the P to pop at the end of his word. “Yep.”</p><p>She raised an eyebrow her fingers beginning to massage his scalp again as she spoke trying to soothe him into opening up. “Talk to me baby, what’s going on?”</p><p>Kyle rolled his eyes again letting out another huff. “He’s fucking crazy. He thinks Beth is still alive...he insists she came back...that she was resurrected by the power of love...my mom took him to get his head checked out. They did an MRI and everything. His brain looks normal, and they think he’s just in denial....not dealing with reality. I don’t know.”</p><p>“He’s your brother. You love him and you’re worried.” Y/N pointed out Kyle giving her a tight smile his jaw tense despite the stroke to his hair that he’d usually find pleasurable.</p><p>Kyle frowned his mouth turning downwards his voice cracking slightly as he tried not to admit the truth. “He’s a pain in my ass, but ya know...he’s my brother. We fight constantly...but I still care. Maybe I should have been more supportive, gone to the funeral with my parents and him. I mean I had to work, but I could have asked for time off. Maybe if I’d been there for him, to support him, he wouldn’t have gone off the rails like this.”</p><p>“You can’t blame yourself baby.” Y/N tried to reassure him her fingers continuing to stroke his hair her lips pressing to his cheek.</p><p>He let out a soft sigh nodding his head. “I don’t blame him for not wanting to face reality...I mean I get it why he’s losing his freaking mind. I’d be a mess if I was him and I’d lost you...but he’s taking it to the extreme. I don’t really know what to do for him. I know I was harsh with him when I escorted him from Beth’s parents place...but I was just trying to get him out of there before the Slocums took it to the next level. If he kept it up they were going to go over the security forces heads and call the cops. I was just trying to get him out of there. I’m at my wits end with him.”</p><p>“You can only do what you’re doing. Just be there, support him. This is just part of the grieving process, once he snaps out of the denial he’s going to need support.” Y/N replied not surprised that he pulled her a little tighter against him apparently seeking her comfort.</p><p>They laid in silence for a long moment before Y/N spoke reluctantly pulling from him trying to cheer him up. “Okay, I’m gross and sweaty. So come on, shower then sleep.”</p><p>He chuckled happily following her tossing his shirt at her and shoving on his boxers so they’d at least be covered on their trip through the hallway to the bathroom.</p><p>Kyle’s lips found hers again as they stepped into the shower he moving her under the spray of the water taking care to wash and condition her hair in between kisses.</p><p>They allowed themselves to get lost in soft kisses and touches the sound of a scream causing them to part Kyle’s eyes growing wide.</p><p>Y/N spoke a frown crossing her features. “What the fuck was that?”</p><p>“I don’t know. I need to investigate.” Kyle remarked turning the shower off Y/N and he both stepping out. </p><p>Kyle wrapped a towel around his waist Y/N wrapping a towel around her body as Kyle spoke. “I need to get to my bedroom and get my desert eagle. I want you to stay in the bedroom. I’ll get you when I know the perimeters are cleared.”</p><p>Y/N frowned wanting to argue with him but he didn’t give her much of an opportunity he taking her hand in his as they sped through the hallway rushing to his bedroom.</p><p>She watched him frantically gather his handgun making sure it was loaded and the safety was on. He turned to her making his way to her and pressing a kiss to her temple. “Just wait here okay, I’ll be right back. Just let me check things out and I’ll come get you once I know everything is clear.”</p><p>She frowned once again wanting to argue but not having her chance as Kyle rushed from the room a towel still wrapped around his waist his gun in hand.</p><p>She furrowed her brow quickly making her way to the dresser searching the drawers for a spare pair of pajamas she kept stored at his place, keeping her ears open for any noise. She finally located a pale lilac matching cami and pajama short set. </p><p>She barely managed to dress when another noise startled her. </p><p>Y/N jumped her heart slamming in her chest as both her cell phone and Kyle’s cell phones began to emit a loud sound the emergency alert app Kyle had talked her into installing on her phone going off. It was a good idea to have an emergency alert app on her phone he’d insisted, in case of an earthquake or any other natural disaster. She should be aware of dangers. </p><p>He was always looking out for danger...almost to the point that she was tempted to accuse him of being just the slightest bit paranoid.</p><p>This was the same man who’d insisted on giving her her own container of the same grade pepper spray he used at work, for her own protection he’d insisted given the neighborhood she lived in. He’d also insisted on teaching her self defense and had talked her into learning to fire a gun and become licensed to carry a gun...not that she had any desire to carry a gun...but she’d just decided to take it as a bonding moment in their relationship.</p><p> He’d seemed so excited to teach her how to fire a gun after all...and she had to admit she’d maybe enjoyed being at the shooting range just a little bit. It was just her competitive spirit...she liked improving her shot...getting better and better at hitting the targets head on. </p><p>All and all she’d just decided to accept her boyfriend’s paranoia. She’d quickly realized it was just his way of showing her he cared. He wanted her to be able to protect herself in the worst case scenario...though she wasn’t sure what worst case scenario Kyle had in mind. </p><p>Y/N felt her heart drop as she swore she could hear another scream over the sound of the alert sirens sounding from the cell phones. The next sound she heard was far louder than the cell phones, it was a sound she’d become accustomed to on the shooting range. Only this time she didn’t have earmuffs to protect her ears.</p><p>She stood frozen in space for what seemed like an eternity...there was a gunshot...what was happening? What was with the screams? Kyle had a gun, so was he the one who’d fired? What if he wasn’t the one who’d fired though?</p><p>She knew Kyle told her to stay in place, but she wasn’t about to stand here waiting if there was a chance she could get hurt. She needed to investigate.</p><p>Y/N made her way downstairs her jaw dropping she feeling dizzy at the sight she walked upon. She noticed the smell first. It was hard to describe. There was only one word she could find to describe it; putrid.</p><p>The closest smell she could relate to it was the scent of the dumpsters outside in the back-alley behind the diner her mother waitressed at. Y/N had spent her childhood summers at that diner. The cook would send her on little chores. It was better than sitting there letting her brain rot in front of her coloring books or her gameboy he’d insisted. It was kind of sad, the short order cook at the diner had done more parenting than her own mother.</p><p>Anyhow, she’d spent plenty of time taking trash out to those huge dumpsters in that back-alley. The smell was awful on a summer day...there was a butcher next door to the diner. The dumpsters were shared between the two establishments...and she could smell the scent of putrid bits of meat that wasn’t quite worthy of selling rotting away in those dumpsters. It was the smell of decay. </p><p>Rotten meat was the closest smell she could think to describe the smell that hit her as soon as she walked downstairs into the living room.</p><p>The sight she walked in on made her feel faint her knees feeling unsteady. Was she asleep? Maybe Kyle and she had never made it to the shower? Maybe she’d fallen asleep post lovemaking and this was some kind of weird dream? The heat always did make her have weird dreams.</p><p>The room was filled with utter chaos. Chaos was the only way to describe the sight she’d walked in on. The noise coming from the television was ear piercingly loud an emergency alert siren buzzing from the surround sound. Her boyfriend’s parents were frantically speaking both at once trying to calm her boyfriend who was standing at attention his gun in his hand. His gun was trained on someone...or something...no someone.</p><p>The older man was recognizable...only from the pictures Y/N had seen around Kyle’s family’s home. His mom had shown her photo albums before, an attempt to at least bond with her once she’d realized Y/N wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon. </p><p>The man Kyle had his gun trained on was his grandfather...but that couldn’t be possible. His grandfather had been dead for a few years now. He’d died before Kyle and Y/N had even met.</p><p>His grandfather’s skin...it wasn’t right. It was an ashy gray color and the texture...and it looked so well dry, almost as though it could crumble if someone reached out and touched it.</p><p>She furrowed her brow as she spotted the stain on the man’s breast the black fluid leaking from the gunshot staining his white shirt. </p><p>He was sitting down apparently not too interested in the utter madness breaking out by his presence.</p><p>He stared up at her a polite smile crossing his face his dentures still sparkling white. He stood up ready to move towards her. “Oh, who’s this? You didn’t tell me we had company.”</p><p>Kyle moved stepping in front of Y/N his voice frantic. “You stay away from her!”</p><p>Judy Orfman spoke her voice just as frantic. “Kyle put the gun down!”</p><p>Y/N furrowed her brow her voice equally as frantic. “What the hell is going on?”</p><p>Her question wasn’t answered as the front door opened Kyle’s younger brother stepping into the room his brow furrowing as he spotted his dead grandfather. “Oh my god Poppy?”</p><p>Kyle turned his gun towards his brother his voice still so frantic. “Zach’s one of them!”</p><p>Noah Orfman stepped forward trying to pull the gun from Kyle’s hands. “Enough with the gun Kyle!”</p><p>His mother joined in with requests to put the gun down.</p><p>Y/N continued to watch the utter chaos play out in front of her she feeling dangerously close to fainting as Poppy turned to Zach greeting him cheerfully with a playful childhood nickname.</p><p>Kyle turned his gun to his grandfather again earning more pleads to put the gun down his mother frantically ordering him “don’t shoot Poppy again”</p><p>His parents continued to try to calm him expressing their love for him trying to calm him before he shot first and asked questions later. Y/N stood back feeling helpless as she took in the scene. </p><p>She snapped out of it knowing she was one of the few people that could probably talk Kyle down at the moment. She moved stepping towards her boyfriend trying her best to make him step back and take a breath. “Come on baby. Just stop and let’s all think for a second. You don’t have to put down the gun, but just lower it for a second.”</p><p>Zach joined in trying to soothe his brother. “Come on man, You’re just going to piss him off.”</p><p>This was apparently the wrong thing to say Kyle pointing his gun towards his brother his dad trying to calm him and take the gun again. “No, no no, don’t do that.”</p><p>Kyle spoke parroting the words Y/N had thought to herself just a few moment ago. “What’s happening? Is this a dream?”</p><p>Zach was fast to speak holding his hands up trying to soothe his obviously distressed brother. “No, okay Kyle this is real.”</p><p>Kyle held the gun back up aiming it at Zach. Zach spoke shaking his head trying to continue calming him. “I am not one of them.”</p><p>Kyle spoke raising his voice becoming more hysterical his aim on Zach dropping for a moment. “How do I know that huh? How do I know you’re not a mole?”</p><p>Zach raised his voice exasperated with his brother’s accusation. “Mole? Do you even know what that means?”</p><p>Kyle raised the gun again his voice adopting that pitch it always gained when he became totally annoyed or upset. “Whatever asshole!”</p><p>His mother and Y/N both spoke at once trying to soothe him. “Kyle that’s your brother” Though Y/N didn’t include the part about going to search for xanax.</p><p>Zach spoke his voice still raised. “Drop the gun okay, I never died. You have to have died first, you douchebag. How could I be one of them?”</p><p>Kyle spoke lowering the gun the comment that left his lips would have been amusing in any other situation given Zach’s somewhat hippieish comments about love lately. “What happened to all the love stuff?”</p><p>Judy spoke shaking her head. “It’s not your fault, this is a confusing situation.”</p><p>Y/N moved closer to Kyle reaching out to touch him trying to soothe him. Relieved that Kyle at least seemed calm enough to wrap and arm around her though she was pretty sure they were trying to soothe each other more than anything at the moment.</p><p>Poppy spoke leaning forward motioning to Kyle. “I came over for a little visit, my grandson pulled a gun on me.”</p><p>Noah Orfman spoke nodding his head. “He shot you.”</p><p>Kyle spoke his voice still holding that high pitched crack to it as he yelled. “I’m sorry, he scared me. What was I supposed to do?”</p><p>His father and Y/N both attempted to soothe him, but he was upset enough that he pulled from Y/N beginning to pace the room.</p><p>She watched her arms wrapping around her waist trying to calm herself as Judy’s phone rang she answering it greeting one of her friends trying to explain that this wasn’t a good time.</p><p>The line apparently went dead Judy trying to speak into the phone as Poppy stood up from his head. “That’s it, I’ve heard enough. I’m going up to the attic.”</p><p>Kyle rose his gun again aiming it at his grandfather once again stepping in front of Y/N, as Noah spoke “To the attic why?”</p><p>Zach spoke answering the question. “They like attics.”</p><p>Kyle pointed his gun as his brother again. “How the fuck do you know that?”</p><p>Y/N furrowed her brow as Zach spoke from the seat he’d taken he looking exhausted. “Because Beth came back too. That’s where I’ve been going at night.”</p><p>Poppy spoke pointing up. “I love an attic. I’m going up.”</p><p>Noah tried to soothe his father as he spoke waving to the chair. “Stay, then we can talk.”</p><p>Poppy continued to insist that he wanted to go to the attic the back and forth making Y/N feel even more dizzy. Kyle began to pace again only stopping as the door bell rang.</p><p>Kyle turned to face it a frown on his face. “Who is that? Who is that? Who is that?”</p><p>She sighed watching her boyfriend press his back against one of the double doors his gun raised ready to jump into action, as his mother moved to answer the door.</p><p>Y/N felt her heart drop feeling even more faint as the door opened two more of those...things, whatever Poppy was walking in.</p><p>Kyle moved back quick to move in front of Y/N again as the two new undead guests spoke. “What are you doing in our house?” “What happened to all the formica?”</p><p>Noah stepped forward pointing at their new guests as he spoke to his wife. “Oh my god. It’s the old owners.”</p><p>The woman in the pair looked up at Kyle frowning. “Who are you with the gun?”</p><p>Poppy spoke motioning to Kyle. “This bastard is the one who shot me.”</p><p>Kyle frowned having the sense to look both confused and guilty. “Poppy. It’s me, Kyle.”</p><p>Zach stood up fast to speak. “Okay, Mom, Dad, Kyle, Y/N. We need to get out of here. It’s not safe. It’s not too late.”</p><p>Kyle took control of the situation the only way he knew how. “Okay, everyone just put your hands where I can see them!”</p><p>The male in the zombie pair spoke ignoring Kyle. “I paid 28,000 dollars for this house”</p><p>Noah spoke a frown on his face. “28,000 when was that?”</p><p>Y/N jumped her hands covering her ears as Kyle took the chance to shoot again hitting the male zombie in the chest he not even reacting.</p><p>The action earned pleads from his parents to stop and pleas from Zach that they had to leave before it was too late.</p><p>Y/N kept herself tucked away behind Kyle this entire situation making her head spin. This couldn’t be happening. She reached down to pinch herself cringing at the pain realizing that this wasn’t a dream. This was real. How could this all be real?</p><p>The male zombie spoke becoming angry. “I’m not going anywhere. This is my house and my attic!”</p><p>Poppy was fast to reply that he knew attics apparently insisting that he was going the attic.</p><p>Y/N wanted to scream, what was these things obsession with attics?</p><p>Y/N watched Zach lie down on the floor speaking to someone on the phone she barely able to make out his words her mind still caught in a loop that this was really happening right now. She frowned almost sure she could hear the sound of smooth jazz playing somewhere in the house</p><p>She barely noticed Kyle speak he beginning to pace again. “We need to find a scientist.”</p><p>Zach stood up beginning to gather his things. “I got to go.” </p><p>he paused as his parents began to plead for him to stay and question where he was going. He spoke explaining himself only a little. “I gotta go. Maury’s outside. I’ll be back in a second and then we can all leave before it’s too late.”</p><p>He spoke again giving an order as his father questioned him. “Just start packing, and I will be back.”</p><p>Kyle’s attention was caught by the television, Y/N widening her eyes as she took sight of the screen, it was another one of those things...this one was holding a microphone. Kyle spoke nodding at the TV. “Is that Chuck Brenner?”</p><p>Y/N felt her head spin all the more. Chuck Brenner was a newsman, he’d died a few years ago. What was happening? Oh god.</p><p>Judy spoke her voice surprisingly cheerful. “Oh wow, it is. I used to love him. Good eye, Kyle.”</p><p>Noah spoke nodding his head. “Okay, so finally they’re done with their stupid emergency broadcast test.”</p><p>Zach spoke his voice sounding utterly exasperated. “It’s not a test. The dead are coming back, okay? Just start packing and I’ll be back.”</p><p>And with that the power went out Y/N relieved that Kyle moved back towards her wrapping and arm around her pulling her tight against him.</p><p>Zach left Judy speaking to herself. “Unbelievable.”</p><p>Poppy was fast to speak. “I think it’s believable.”</p><p>Y/N finally dared to speak her voice so soft she was shocked Kyle heard her. “What do we do now?”</p><p>Kyle spoke squeezing her all the tighter. “We pack our things. Zach’s right. We have to get out of here.”</p><p>….............................................................................</p><p>Kyle and she moved fast using flashlights to make their way back to his bedroom Kyle pulling a duffle bag from his closet as he began to dump things into it. Y/N moved fast trying her best to help pack a backpack he tossed her way.</p><p>Kyle dressed quickly before he moved to his sock dresser feeling it was dark enough to pull the one thing he’d been hiding for months now out quickly shoving it into his duffle bag. </p><p>Y/N managed to locate a pair of jeans from the drawer she kept her things in sliding them on her voice shaky. “This can’t be happening. The dead...this, they. They can’t be coming back. Zach said Beth, she came back and now those people that used to own this house and your grandfather.... This can’t be real.”</p><p>“I know baby. I keep pinching myself, thinking I’m dreaming. I think my dead grandfather is proof that this is happening though. I should have listened to Zach when he started insisting Beth was back...I just, I didn’t believe him, how could I? I thought he was losing his mind.” Kyle provided as he moved to his desk and began to pack his bullets and other weaponry knowing they’d need it. </p><p>“What are we supposed to do? I mean...where are we going to go?” Y/N blurted out her mind going a mile a second. </p><p>All she could think of where those post apocalyptic zombie shows her roommate watched. She’d always thought they were so dumb. How could this be happening? Things didn’t go well for people in those shows. </p><p>Kyle placed his hands on her shoulders staring down at her doing his best to calm her. “Hey, we’re going to figure this out. There’s got to be some kind of safehouse or something somewhere. We can go there and wait this out...and if worst comes to worst, then there’s got to be like some remote area or something we can go to.”</p><p>She nodded her head hoping he was right. There had to be some place they could go. </p><p>She felt her blood run cold as she heard a scream sound out. Oh, god, not again.</p><p>Kyle moved forward grabbing a hold of his desert eagle again his voice tight. “I need to clear the perimeter. Stay here.”</p><p>Y/N frowned her voice stern. “I’m not staying here. I’m coming with you.”</p><p>“It’s not safe. I need to make sure everything is clear.” Kyle insisted Y/N fast to speak.</p><p>“I’m going with you.”</p><p>Kyle sighed nodding his head. “Okay, just stay close.”</p><p>She listened to him staying pressed close to him as they moved through the dark house Kyle’s gun raised searching the space.</p><p>Y/N felt a chill run down her spine as they came across the cause of this scream. It was Poppy, but he wasn’t the same cheerful creature he’d been just moments ago.</p><p>The growl made her feel sick, Poppy was staggering across the room growls leaving him as he began to corner Kyle’s parents.</p><p>Kyle acted fast shooting at Poppy hitting him a few times in the back. Poppy turned to face them his eyes cloudy no longer full of life. What the hell, when they’d headed upstairs he’d been talking to Kyle’s father...now he was acting like...well a zombie.</p><p>Kyle spoke his voice panicked. “Stay back! Stay back, don’t make me shoot you again!”</p><p>Poppy just growled all the move moving even closer. Kyle shot again hitting Poppy a few more times in the chest.</p><p>Kyle frowned as his grandfather continued to advance closer and closer to them. Why wasn't he going down? He had one more bullet. He rose his gun hitting Poppy square in the forehead the man finally going down falling to the ground. </p><p>Kyle let out a shaky sigh as he spoke out loud. “I had to do it. I-I had to do it. He wasn’t...he wasn’t stopping.”</p><p>His parents moved towards him fast to try to soothe him he leaving Y/N’s side he shaking as his parents embraced him. </p><p>Y/N let out a cry as she felt a pair of hands place against her back the grip ice cold. She was shoved down on the ground she scrambling away from Kyle and his parents crawling across the room on her back her eyes growing wide as she stared up at her attacker. It was one of the other two zombies, the former owners of the house.</p><p>She didn’t even have time to think as the female zombie lowered herself over her beginning to snap at her Y/N managing to hold her back it a difficult act, the woman heavy and so strong.</p><p>She struggled to remember every piece of self defense Kyle had taught her. Look for pressure points and strike. Did the undead have pressure points though? Did self defense even work with the undead? </p><p>She spoke her voice frantic crying out to Kyle as he struggled to reload his handgun thankful he’d brought along more ammo. “Help!, Help me!”</p><p>The gunshot was what she heard the woman’s blackened blood spraying against her her heavy body landing against her. Y/N kicked against her her voice frantic her brain telling her that the woman wasn’t dead and was going to tear a chunk out of her at any second. “Oh god, please no, get her off me! Help me Kyle!”</p><p>Kyle moved fast pulling the body from Y/N pulling her up against him struggling to calm her. “It’s okay baby, it’s okay. I’ve got you, it’s okay, she’s dead.”</p><p>Y/N let out a scream as the second zombie rounded the corner he moving towards them Kyle raising his gun shooting him in the head the zombie falling to the ground.</p><p>Kyle spoke his voice panicked. “We need to leave now!”</p><p>…....................................................................</p><p> </p><p>The escape from the house was chaotic Y/N and Kyle made their ways back upstairs grabbing their bags. Y/N stared down at her blood soiled shirt the smell making her want to puke. It smelled like death. She felt herself begin to shake her mind a mess. This was happening? Those things they were violent? </p><p>She’d be dead if Kyle didn’t act. He’d saved her life. What if she’d gotten bitten? Would she turn into one of those things if she got bitten? Zach said she had to die first to become one of those things, so probably not, but what if that thing had ripped her throat out and she’d died? Would she have come back? She didn’t want to become one of those things. </p><p>Kyle took her by surprise pulling baby wipes from his bedside table wiping the gore from her skin the best he could. He moved to his closet pulling out an oversized sweatshirt his voice soft. “Here baby get rid of that top and put this on. I’ll get your shoes.”</p><p>She nodded her head focusing on the smell of his sweatshirt. It smelled like his cologne. </p><p>Her body continued to shake even as Kyle and she moved back downstairs she watching him and his father take the corpses out to the back patio setting fire to them insisting it was necessary. What if a gunshot to the head wasn’t enough to keep them down? It was better to destroy the body as much as possible. </p><p>She kept herself glued to Kyle’s side as they made their way outside to his parent’s car.</p><p>She wasn’t sure how long they drove her mind still such a mess. Kyle sat close to her holding her tight against him his hand still locked on his gun, his father searching the radio for a working radio station as his mother drove. </p><p>The car jerked to a stop Noah speaking a frown on his face. “Is that Paul Levin?” </p><p>Y/N turned her head expecting to see another undead monster her heart calming as she realized the man was very much alive and holding a rifle in his hand. </p><p>He made his way to the car Noah unrolling his window ignoring Kyle’s demands not to roll down the window, Mr. Levin speaking. “Noah Orfman? Is that you?”</p><p>Noah nodded his head his mind too much of a mess for him to speak outloud, Mr. Levin nodded his head as he spoke again. “I’ve got my place boarded up. We’ve got a safehouse built up. Come on. We’ve got room.”</p><p>….....................................................................</p><p>Y/N paced the floor her mind still such a mess as she watched Kyle place an orange jumpsuit over his clothing as they stood in the Levin’s study. </p><p>Lanterns lit all the rooms the windows and doors boarded up. She could hear the sound of sirens and madness taking place outdoors. The world had gone to shit so quickly. Just earlier tonight she’d been making love to her boyfriend, he trying to sweettalk her into going on a vacation with his family...and then everything had gone to hell. It had all happened so fast. </p><p>It turned out there were a few people holed up in the Levin household, one of those people was a local sheriff who had decided that they needed to form an army of sorts, take those things out themselves. They needed to form a resistance. </p><p>Of course Kyle had jumped at the idea and the sheriff had quickly decided he liked Kyle’s enthusiasm. </p><p>Y/N found it hard to be too pleased as she watched her boyfriend be unofficially deputized. This was his dream, she just wished it was happening in any other circumstance.</p><p>They’d spent most of the night making plans of attack. Kyle had tried to convince her to go lie down, get some rest.</p><p>Y/N found herself unable to move too far from his side though. She knew what he was planning. They were going to hunt those monsters down, fight back. He was placing himself in danger.</p><p>She didn’t want him to go. She knew though, that there was no way she was going to talk him out of this.</p><p>Kyle apparently sensed her panic he moving back towards her. He placed his hands on her arms stopping her pacing his voice soft. “I’m going to be okay. You know that right?”</p><p>“You don’t know that though.” Y/N replied her voice soft her brow furrowing she resisting the urge to beg him not to do this. She knew she couldn’t talk him out of this. </p><p>This was his chance to protect and serve. He was going to take it.</p><p>He pressed a few soft kisses to her forehead fast to reassure her. “Yes I do, I’m going to be okay.”</p><p>She felt her stomach churn unable to stop her eyes from watering Kyle fast to wipe her cheeks his voice gentle. “I am going to go out there and do what I can do to fight this. Then I’m going to come back here to you.”</p><p>She spoke her voice soft. “You promise?”</p><p>He pressed kisses to her lips his voice reassuring. “I promise. I’m going to be just fine.”</p><p>“You’re not allowed to die, okay. Stay sharp and safe. Don’t do anything stupid, please. Don’t die, don’t leave me like that. I can’t, I’m sorry I didn’t answer you when you asked me to move in with you, or when you begged me to go on the vacation. When this is all over I’m going to move in with you and if the vacation does happen then I’ll go, I swear. You have to stay alive so we can do all those things. We have a future together and you’re not allowed to die.” She insisted her eyes still watering.</p><p>Kyle felt his own eyes water his voice so gentle he pulling her closer to him. “I will. You don’t have to say sorry, I know it’s a lot...I mean I live with my freaking parents. I asked you to move into my bedroom it was pathetic...and I know the money thing makes you feel uncomfortable.”</p><p>“I don’t care about that. I love you Kyle. I really do. I would live with you even if you lived in a cardboard box.” She reassured him he squeezing her all the tighter.</p><p>She widened her eyes as he pulled from her pressing a quick kiss to her cheek as he spoke. “Give me a second.”</p><p>She watched him rush over to where his parents and he’d dropped their bags when they’d entered the Levin household. She watched him dig around until he let out a triumphant little noise when he finally found what he was looking for.</p><p>He made his way back to her her eyes growing wider as she realized what he was holding a little black velvet box. He opened it her eyes staring down at the contents of the box; a ring, a little diamond ring. The diamond was small, a chip of a thing really on a thin gold band. It was beautiful. </p><p>Kyle spoke dropping down on to his knees his voice soft. “I’ve been holding on to this for months now. I saved up for it...I, I had to go to a pawn shop to get it. I know that’s not exactly the most romantic thing in the world, but I knew I couldn’t wait until I had more money and I was just going to look when I went to the pawn shop. I wasn’t even looking for rings, but I saw this and it hit me I’ve been waiting for so long to make this happen.  I figured if it’s too sad looking then one day when I have more money we can get it fixed up add more to it.  I-I know I’ve kept you waiting...kept telling you I had to get my life in order before I could ask you this, but I... let’s face it baby. I keep failing to get on the force, it’s probably not going to happen.”</p><p>Y/N parted her lips ready to reassure him that it would happen, but Kyle spoke again not giving her a chance to do so. “I love you, and it seems stupid to wait when I know that I love you. I planned on making this romantic...that’s kind of why I was so insistent on trying to talk you into joining my family on vacation. I thought it was perfect ya know, a sign? I wanted to take you to the beach and pop the question or do it at a sunset or something you deserved, but that opportunity might not happen...I mean, the world’s gone to shit. I know that no matter what happens though, no matter what the future looks like, I want to be with you. So, what I’m trying to say. Marry me?”</p><p>She nodded her head the words leaving her her eyes watering for far happier reasons. “Yes, of course. Yes, Yes.”</p><p>Kyle managed to slip the ring on her hand as he stood up his lips pressing to hers. They kissed for a long while only reluctantly pulling away when there was a knock at the door followed by a stern voice. “Orfman, come on. It’s time.”</p><p>Kyle pressed a few more kisses to her lips as he spoke. “I’m leaving a two-way police radio with you, I want you to listen in and notify me if anything happens here. You have to promise me you’ll stay here. I need you to keep any eye on things here. I’m leaving you a gun too, just in case.”</p><p>“I don’t own a gun. I thought all you have is the desert eagle and a revolver. You have both with you right now.” She spoke confused by this detail.</p><p>Kyle nodded his head reaching into a pocket of his jumpsuit and handing a smith and Wesson handgun over to her his voice soft. “I meant to give this to you...I know you haven’t taken the gun license test yet, It was going to be a gift for when you pass. It’s supposed to have less throwback when it’s fired. I know you hate how much throw back the desert eagle has, so I thought this would be a better option for you.”</p><p>She stared down at the gun as Kyle spoke. “Remember aim for the head okay. Just one shot to the head and they go down.”</p><p>He pressed another kiss to her lips reluctantly pulling away as there was another knock at the door. “Come on Kyle, break it up lovebirds. We gotta go.”</p><p>She stared up at him reluctantly allowing him to pull from her as he spoke. “Remember I’m not allowed to die.”</p><p>She nodded her head her voice tight. “I’ll see you when you come back.”</p><p>….........................................................................</p><p>Y/N did what Kyle told her to do, kept the two-way radio on her as she did her best to help new survivors that had been brought into the safehouse.</p><p>She felt herself sit down on the sofa her eyes locked down at the radio every sound of Kyle’s voice reassuring her that he was still alive. </p><p>It had been hours since he’d left, the sun was up now though it did little to light the area given that the house was still boarded up. It was suspiciously quieter outside. She no longer heard the sound of sirens. She wasn’t sure she liked the silence.</p><p>She continued to stare down at the radio trying to reassure herself. He wasn’t going to die she told herself, he promised her.</p><p>She felt her eyes stare down at the ring on her finger, he wasn’t going to die because they were engaged. </p><p>She had to wonder what the future would hold for them though? Was this their new reality? Was the world just going to be in a state of chaos forever now? Would it constantly be a battle for survival?</p><p>Was this just happening in their town? Was it just California? Was this happening all over the United States? Was this happening all over the world? Why hadn’t the news picked up on this if it was happening everywhere? </p><p>They couldn’t get a radio station to pick up. There was no way of knowing just how far this thing had spread.</p><p>Her mind kept running over what lie ahead now? What was her future going to be? </p><p>Kyle and she had spent a lot of time talking about the future. They talked about what they wanted. The perfect future they had in mind involved marriage, Kyle getting a spot on the force, Y/N opening her own salon, a home of their own, and maybe one or two kids. </p><p>Was that future even possible with this new world? Maybe some version of it was. They could still get married, just without the license and a real ceremony. Kyle could keep working with the Resistance; protecting and serving in a different way. She could work to maintain wherever they wound up hiding out...keeping the place secure making it as much like a home as possible. She could still cut hair...people would always need haircuts. Wherever they wound up could become their home. They could make it their own. Would bringing kids into this world be a horrible idea though? Why would she bring children into this mad world? Maybe if things got calm enough though, maybe if they found somewhere safe? Maybe then they could have one child at least? </p><p>She kept thinking of how quickly everything had changed. How fast the world had changed. </p><p>She began to think of all the people she knew, the ones who weren’t here in this safehouse. Were they alive? Was her roommate alive? What about her coworkers? Oh, God, what about Zach? If they never saw Zach again it would destroy Kyle. They bickered all the time, but she knew Kyle loved his little brother. It would break his heart if he never saw him again. The not knowing would destroy Kyle. </p><p>Y/N was shocked that her mind turned to her mother. For the first time in a long time she wished she could speak to her mother. Y/N hadn’t really spoken to her mother in a few years now. Being around an angry drunk wasn’t entirely a pleasant experience. For the first time in so long she wanted to hear her mother’s voice though. </p><p>She would probably never see her mother again, Y/N realized. She’d spent so long angry with her mother, feeling pissed off at the ways she’d failed. Now she just wished she could see her one more time. </p><p>She was pulled from her thoughts as Judy Orfman sat down beside her, her voice soft as she nodded down to the radio. “Have you heard anything?”</p><p>“Kyle’s.... cleaning Briar Grove. No, trouble so far. Someone’s hitting a grocery store, seeing if they can gather supplies, something other than frozen bagels.” Y/N replied feeling uneasy unsure of her current relationship with Kyle’s mother.</p><p>Judy Orfman seemed to be nice enough to her sure, but Y/N had a feeling she tolerated her for Kyle’s sake.</p><p>She widened her eyes as Judy spoke nodding down at the ring on Y/N’s finger. “He finally asked?”</p><p>“How’d you know?” Y/N blurted out widening her eyes her fingers brushing against her ring.</p><p>“A mother knows. I had a feeling it was coming when he started insisting you should come to Turks and Cacios.” Judy replied Y/N squirming in her seat ready to be told by her future mother in law that she wasn’t happy, that she didn’t approve and never would.</p><p>Judy spoke again nodding her head her comment taking Y/N by shock. “It’s about time.”</p><p>Y/N didn’t have a chance to question this comment as the door opened more survivors pouring in both women standing from the sofa moving to help everyone settle in.</p><p>Y/N kept a tight grip on the radio once again reassuring herself that Kyle would come home. He wasn’t allowed to die.<br/>
….................................................................................................</p><p>Y/N felt the breath leave her body as she spotted him. It was three thirty when he arrived. He was covered in blood it staining the orange jumpsuit he’d worn.</p><p>He moved slow, so slowly that a little voice in the back of her brain taunted her telling her he’d died while he was out there. He was dead and now he’d come back. That’s what happened when you died now, you came back as a monster.</p><p>She ignored that voice knowing it wasn’t true. She’d listened in on the radio heard everything. Briar Grove was all clear. Kyle had cleaned his section and he was heading back.</p><p>She moved towards him not even caring about the gore or the smell as he embraced her pulling her tight against him his voice soft. “I told you I’d come back.”</p><p>She felt herself begin to sob against him tears of relief hitting her. She placed a hand against his cheek her eyes scanning his body searching for the source of all the blood.</p><p>Kyle sighed spotting what she was doing. She felt her stomach turn as he spoke. “It’s not my blood.”</p><p>He was relieved that she didn’t pull against him at this confession. He needed her touch more than ever right now. </p><p>The things he’d seen out there, it was insane. It was horrifying. He’d spent his entire life wanting to protect, knowing he’d shoot if he had to. It hadn’t been what he’d expected. </p><p>He spoke his voice soft. “I saw Zach.”</p><p>She stared up at him a frown crossing her features as he spoke. “He had Beth with him...he’s taking her hiking. I gave him my desert eagle, told him to do what he has to do. Told him to meet us back here at 1600.”</p><p>She nodded her head her voice soft. “Is he okay?”</p><p>“As okay as he can be. I told him I’m sorry for not believing him about Beth...that he’s a good brother and I love him. I had to let him know...just in case.” Kyle admitted she squeezing him tighter at the implication of the words he wouldn’t say.</p><p>They held each other for a long while her head resting against his chest the sound of his heartbeat soothing her.</p><p>She hadn’t slept, not yet. She couldn’t sleep. She was afraid if she closed her eyes and allowed sleep to come then everyone she loved would be ripped away from her.</p><p>She wasn’t sure when she’d be able to sleep again.</p><p>She spoke her voice soft. “Your mom and dad are with the others. There’s been a few survivors. Not many, but some have shown up. Mr. Levin keeps trying to pick up a radio station but all we can get is static.”</p><p>“I don’t know if there’s many survivors out there. I didn’t see any.” Kyle admitted his stomach in knots. He’d hoped to find more, but all he’d found was the dead.</p><p>“What happens now?” Y/N dared to ask Kyle letting out a heavy sigh as he spoke.</p><p>“I don’t know. I think the plan is to wait it out until Zach gets here. Once he gets here then we’ll decide what the next step is.”</p><p>She spoke her voice soft. “No matter what happens we’ll be together.”</p><p>Kyle nodded his head in agreement his voice equally as soft his lips meeting hers. “I know, no matter what the future looks like, we’re going to have each other.”</p><p>She closed her eyes her head resting against him. She knew he was right.</p><p>Y/N wasn’t sure what the future looked like. She wasn’t sure if this was just how the world was now. The rest of her life might be a fight for survival. </p><p>She knew that no matter what happened though, no matter what the future might look like, she had Kyle Orfman by her side.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Y/N couldn’t help but to groan as she awoke the air mattress Kyle and she had been sleeping on for a week, having partially deflated at some point during the night. She kicked the scratchy blanket they’d been given off her body the room far too warm and the blanket far too thick to stop her from feeling overheated.</p><p> </p><p>The electricity was still hit or miss through out most of the city. Power came and went as whatever work crews were still remaining living struggled to reestablish stability at the electric company and provide power to the entire city.</p><p> </p><p>This meant that the Levin household was left feeling hot as the precarious power situation throughout the city made it impossible for the A/C to work against the summer heat.</p><p> </p><p>The room was currently just was warm inside as it was outside the room feeling too hot even in the night.</p><p> </p><p>She rolled onto her back peering up at the high ceiling in Mr. Levin’s study her sleep muddled brain struggling to piece together her surroundings for a brief moment. She sighed as her sleepy brain made sense of her environment and the events of the past few days hit her.</p><p> </p><p>The nightmarish event had only taken place a few days ago, and it had seemingly come to such an abrupt end. No one had any answers to what and how this had all happened.</p><p> </p><p>The Orfman family and Y/N were still seeking shelter at the Levin’s house in Briar Grove. The rest of the survivors had moved on to the community center where a shelter had been set up for those with nowhere else to go. The Orfmans and she had taken the Levin’s offer of staying in the Levin home until the Orfmans managed to secure hotel rooms at least.</p><p> </p><p>The Orfman home had been destroyed and Y/N was sure her apartment wasn’t in great shape. She honestly hadn’t worked up the nerve to go near her apartment. So for now, the Levin house was home.</p><p> </p><p>Y/N furrowed her brow confusion washing over her as it hit her that her fiance wasn’t sleeping beside her. She had fallen asleep with his arms wrapped securely around her waist her face buried against his chest. Even though the room was too hot they’d been unable to resist curling against one another as they slept. They’d found it was the only way they could sleep, in fact. They’d needed to hold on to one another to soothe the other as they struggled to allow sleep to win out over distress.  </p><p> </p><p>She managed to pull herself up from the air mattress her body stiff from discomfort as she moved.</p><p> </p><p>She made her way from the study where Kyle and she had chosen to sleep allowing his parents and his brother to sleep in the spare bedrooms.</p><p> </p><p>She moved slowly making her way down the darkened hallway a strange noise filling the space. It was a squishy wet noise. It reminded her of the sound her shoes made as she moved through sticky mud on the rare occurrence it rained in their corner of California. Her apartment had a large lawn space between the parking lot and apartment complex, It was a nice concept given that it gave tenants with pets plenty of room to walk them and it gave kids who lived in the complex plenty of space to play, but the lawn area wasn’t the nicest. The lawn was more dirt that grass. So every time it rained she had to trek through the mud just to get from her car to her apartment. She’d long ago begun carrying rain boots in her car, just in case. The sound she was moving closer and closer to reminded her of the noise her rain boots made against the thick wet mud. It was a sponge-like slick sound.</p><p> </p><p>The smell was what hit her next, it was that same sickly sweet smell of decayed meat she smelled only days ago at the Orfman residence. She felt a wave of nausea wash over her the smell triggering a memory of when the world as they knew it had gone to hell. She felt her stomach turn as the scent grew stronger and stronger. It was awful, almost overpowering; like sour meat that had been left to grow putrid in the sun. It almost felt as though she stink was surrounding her polluting any chance of taking in a breath of fresh air.</p><p> </p><p>Y/N entered the living area her eyes peering through the darkened room her heart dropping as she spotted the source of the horrible smell and the wet noise she’d heard. She could barely make out the figure in the darkened room. It was knelt over with it’s back facing her. It was resting on it’s knees not even noticing her presence as more of those wet noises spilled from it.</p><p> </p><p>She stepped forward trying to get a clearer look at the figure her blood running cold as she realized the figure was knelt over a body, or at least what was left of a body. The body was ripped to shreds a bloody unrecognizable carcass being all that remained. The blood pouring from the carcass was seeping into the beige rug decorating the wooden floor. The thick remnants of blood and gore were staining the rug crimson.</p><p> </p><p>The figure remained knelt over the carcass still not paying her any mind as she moved closer. Y/N felt bile rise in her throat as she realized the figure was digging it’s hands into the bloodied mess pulling bits of flesh up towards its lips the figure producing a slick noise as it chewed at the gore.</p><p> </p><p>She felt bile rise in her throat as it hit her that the wet sound she was hearing was the sound of blood soaked flesh being ripped from the corpse the creature in front of her ingesting this flesh it’s lips smacking as it chewed.</p><p> </p><p>Y/N backed away her heart racing her mind spinning. This couldn’t be happening. The news said everything was over. The nightmare was supposed to be over. If the nightmare was over, then how was one of those things standing in the Levin’s living area feasting upon the remains of some poor soul?</p><p> </p><p>She backed into an end-table the ceramic vase that had been sitting on the table falling to the ground a crash sounding out in the room as it shattered to jagged pieces on the floor.</p><p> </p><p>The figure lifted its head up standing slowly. Y/N opened her mouth attempting to scream as the figure turned to face her, but the sound died on her lips shock washing over her. It couldn’t be, how was it possible?</p><p> </p><p>The figure standing in front of her was her fiance, but it wasn’t the same Kyle who had fallen asleep beside her hours before.</p><p> </p><p>His eyes were a cloudy lifeless shade of gray, as though a film had washed over his eyes. His eyes were no longer that pretty hazel she loved staring into. His skin was ashen all signs of life having been washed out of his complexion. His chin and lips were painted with thick scarlet gore. Kyle was still chewing at the bits of flesh he’d ripped from the corpse a puddle of blood tinged drool spilling from his lips a pleased noise leaving him as he enjoyed his meal. The white shirt and boxers he’d fallen asleep in were drenched in more gore the smell radiating off of him so putrid it made her stomach turn all the more.</p><p> </p><p>He moved slowly towards her his arms reaching out to her, Y/N stood frozen in place unable to move as her mind struggled to make sense of the scene taking place in front of her.</p><p> </p><p>How was this happening? You had to die to become one of those monsters. You had to die before you came back. Kyle hadn’t died? Kyle had been alive just a few hours ago. How could he possibly be one of those awful creatures?</p><p> </p><p>Kyle parted his lips his voice a graveled growl he continuing to reach for her his arms opening the same way they did when he wanted to embrace her. “What’s wrong baby? Don’t you love me anymore?”</p><p> </p><p>She cried out as he neared her his hands placing upon her upper arms his touch ice cold the gore on his hands staining her skin as he spoke again. “I’m not allowed to die, remember?”</p><p> </p><p>She did her best to fight him but his grip was so strong his mouth lowering over her neck his voice sounding out as his teeth pressed against her skin. “I’m not allowed to die, and neither are you. We’re going to be together forever now.”</p><p> </p><p>His voice sounded out again sounding so frantic, so different from the raspy growl she’d heard just moments before. “Baby, come on baby. It’s okay, come on.”</p><p> </p><p>His voice continued to speak his voice washing over her pulling her mind from the horrors she’d witnessed. “Baby, come on. Wake up. Come on, wake up. It’s just a dream. You’re having a bad dream, wake up.”</p><p> </p><p>Y/N’s eyes peeled open her body shaking as Kyle stared down at her concern written across his features. She stared up at him her panicked brain struggling to make sense of what was happening.</p><p> </p><p>Her body was drenched with sweat and her heart was slamming in her chest. Her breathing was uneven as Kyle continued to speak his voice soft and soothing. He stared down at her his pretty hazel eyes filled with life so different from the cloudy lifeless eyes she’d stared into in her dream. “It’s okay, it’s all okay. It was just a nightmare. Just breathe baby, come on just take a deep breath.”</p><p> </p><p>She struggled to do as he said Kyle embracing her his touch warm his arms wrapping around her holding her close. She pressed her head to his chest the feel of his heart beating soothing her. He was alive.  He wasn’t that horrible monster that had been ready to tear into her flesh as he spat out the very words she’d said to him a little over a month ago in a moment of fear and desperation. He was still her Kyle. He was still her fiance and he was still very much alive. Kyle Orfman was alive.</p><p> </p><p>She pulled back from him just enough to peer at their surroundings. They weren’t in the Levin’s study on that terrible air mattress any longer. They were in their bedroom lying in the new queen sized iron framed bed they’d purchased from a thrift store. There was a warm green and blue quilt covering them warming their bodies as the air conditioner cooled the room. The lamp at Kyle’s bedside lit their surroundings revealing a few moving boxes they’d not gotten around to unpacking yet.</p><p> </p><p>They’d only lived in their new home for less than a month now. Their new home was modest but large enough to grow into. It was a brick cottage style home. It was three bedrooms and two baths. It was a far cry from Kyle’s bedroom at the Orfman household.</p><p> </p><p>They’d had to fill the place with thrift store finds given that they really hadn’t had much to make a home, and Y/N’s apartment had been looted to the point that there was little they could take. They’d made it work though. Slowly but surely the house was becoming a home.</p><p> </p><p>The house was an older home in Briar Grove. It was located on a smaller lot meaning that the home itself was much smaller than the McMansions surrounding it. Kyle had once told Y/N that when the housing development had been built in this area homeowners had been given a choice on the style of home they wanted to be built. Apparently the owners of this home had managed to talk the developers into building a style separate from the styles offered. That was why it looked as though it didn’t truly fit in with the rest of the neighborhood.</p><p> </p><p>The inside of the home was a little on the older side, the former owners apparently not updating it since the eighties. There was no pool in the backyard given that the backyard itself was a little on the smaller side. Kyle had promised her that there was plenty space for Y/N to plant a vegetable garden at least. There was enough room for patio furniture and a small grill at least.</p><p> </p><p>The house was perfect. Y/N didn’t want a pool. She didn’t want a mcmansion. She just wanted a home to grow with the man she was going to marry. Kyle had found that he wanted the same.</p><p> </p><p>They’d been looking at just renting a house or maybe even an apartment somewhere outside of the Briar Grove housing development. The realization that they were getting married and planning a life together had made it clear to Kyle that he needed to get out of his parent’s house. He’d honestly just assumed they’d wind up in an apartment somewhere or maybe a modest one bedroom house if they were lucky. This home had fallen on their radars though, and Kyle’s parents had convinced them to at least take a look at it.</p><p> </p><p>They’d done just that and had fallen in love with it though they’d been a little hesitant to get a mortgage….after all their original plan had just been to lease a place.  </p><p> </p><p>Kyle and Y/N had never really imagined themselves being able to afford a home in Briar Grove, but the world had changed a lot and a side effect of those changes was an economy struggling to recover. Those who no longer had jobs were struggling to find work. The world’s governments and their infrastructures struggled to rebuild themselves. Every level of the government was having to learn how to function again as were other structures of society such as the police, medical services, and schools.</p><p> </p><p>As the economy struggled banks were desperate to sell homes of homeowners who had not survived the events that had taken place a little over a month before. Many homeowners who had survived were simply desperate to sell their homes and get far away from the life they’d been left with.</p><p> </p><p>Y/N was thankful that the previous owners of their home had been a part of the latter group. She couldn’t imagine living in a home knowing that the only reason she was living here was because the former homeowners had been brutally killed by the undead.</p><p> </p><p>Kyle and she had been relieved to hear that the former owners of their home were still alive and well. Kyle had only met them once or twice during his days working for the neighborhood security force. They’d kept to themselves to be honest, but it still felt strange for him to be living in this home.</p><p> </p><p>The former homeowners were just desperate to rid themselves of their home and get far away from the Briar Grove housing development and the city in general. They’d been looking to get far away from the rest of civilization knowing that their lives would never again be what they had been before the world had turned upside down.</p><p> </p><p>The world had changed and everyone was rethinking their lives it seemed. People were either struggling to rebuild their lives and find some sense of normalcy or they were struggling to escape their lives and rediscover a way to live. People were struggling to find meaning in their lives and make sense of what had happened.</p><p> </p><p>Y/N knew Kyle and she were some of the lucky ones all things considered. No her job wasn’t exactly coming back as the owner of the salon had been one of the unfortunate ones who had died. She was stuck looking for a new job, but it wasn’t easy to find one as not many people were thinking about hair cuts or beauty treatments.</p><p> </p><p>Kyle had been luckier when it came to the employment game. Kyle had been officially offered a job with the local police force.</p><p> </p><p>His work with the resistance had impressed that old sheriff who they’d been holed up with at the Levin residence. The sheriff had made sure that Kyle had a place with the force. He was actually responsible for the rebuilding of the entire police force. It was an intimidating position to be in.</p><p> </p><p>The police had been the first respondents along with all the other necessary emergency medical responders when the world had gone to hell. A lot of them had been wiped out.  The military hadn’t even been capable of totally handling the situation in their city at least. At least in their city groups like the resistance Kyle had been involved with were the ones who rid the city of the undead.</p><p> </p><p>No one had been prepared for what had happened. That was why everything had gone to shit so easily.  </p><p> </p><p>It wasn’t just a physical attack when you thought about it…it had been a psychological one as well. Those things that had come back had the faces of those people had once loved. Even when the undead had grown rabid it had taken a toll on those who had been left with no choice but to kill them.</p><p> </p><p>Kyle had admitted the only way he’d been able to reconcile what he had to do was by telling himself that the undead were suffering. If any piece of the people they’d loved remained in those creatures then they were in pain. He had to put them out of their misery.</p><p> </p><p>That experience had changed Kyle…he was left traumatized by the events, but everyone was traumatized. It was hard to address trauma when the entire population of the world was going through the same trauma.</p><p> </p><p>Kyle had also been left with a sense of determination to help rebuild the world…to make the police force better than it had been. It had been corrupt and weak as far as Kyle was concerned. Now Kyle was left struggling to rebuild the entire force with the old sheriff. He was struggling to find the right people for the job, to make sure that everything was handled correctly. Kyle had taken it seriously. He wanted it to be better than it had been, stronger, more honest. He wanted this new force to align with his ideas of justice and protection. He had been strict when it came to rebuilding it all. It wasn’t a rebuild he’d insisted, it was a total overhaul.</p><p> </p><p>He’d also created a task force meant to take action if the dead ever rose again. It was a necessary measure needed with the world they’d been left with. Y/N just hoped that this task force never had to take action.</p><p> </p><p>Kyle rocked her against him doing his best to soothe her and remind her that everything was okay now. She couldn’t stop the tears from leaving her dampening his shirt as she tried to push the horrifying visions she’d witnessed in her dreams. She knew she was sobbing as she struggled to bring herself out of her own head, out of her own fears.</p><p> </p><p>She buried her face against his chest further as a knock sounded out at their bedroom door. The door creaked open Kyle’s younger brother sticking his head in Zach staring down at his older brother and future sister in law. “Is everything okay? I thought I heard crying.”</p><p> </p><p>“It’s fine. It’s just nightmares.” Kyle replied clinching his jaw Y/N not pulling from his chest.</p><p> </p><p>Kyle took a deep breath trying not to engage in the same type of senseless sibling bickering Zach and he had engaged in for years.</p><p> </p><p>Kyle’s parents had been the ones who’d suggested that Zach move in with Kyle and Y/N. They had the room after all, and it might be good for Zach after all he’d been through.</p><p> </p><p>Kyle had been a little resistant of the idea, Zach and he had always butted heads after all, but he’d given in with a little coaxing from Y/N. It was only going to be a temporary thing she’d reminded him, just until Zach finished his schooling…which might take a little while given that most of the schools from elementary all the way up to university level were scrambling to rebuild and restructure themselves.</p><p> </p><p>Of course Y/N had laid down some ground rules when it came to having the brothers under the same roof. She’d been the one who’d put her foot down after their first spat. She’d told them quite frankly that they could in her own words: “learn to at least pretend to get along and act like adults especially after all the shit we’ve lived through.” She’d lectured them and told them to cut the shit or she was going to be the one who moved back in with Noah and Judy Orfman and left Kyle and Zach to murder one another in this house.</p><p> </p><p>That had been what it had taken for Kyle and Zach to make an effort to get along. They’d realized Y/N was right after all. They’d lived through hell. The least they could do was find a way to get along, to work towards a decent bond. This was a second chance really, a chance to have the relationship they’d resisted their entire lives.</p><p> </p><p>Zach nodded his head sending Y/N an apologetic look and murmuring a goodnight as he shut the door leaving Kyle and Y/N alone once again.</p><p> </p><p>Kyle continued to rock her against him her eyes still watering. He ran his hand along her back, underneath the t-shirt she’d slept in, rubbing soothing circles against her skin knowing that this was the best way to soothe her.  Needing to soothe her wasn’t a new experience for Kyle. Y/N had spent more than a few nights doing the same for him. Much like the rest of the world’s population both Y/N and Kyle found themselves plagued with nightmares about the events that had taken place a little over a month before when the dead had risen and the world had become such a horrifying place.</p><p> </p><p>Society was still struggling to come to grips with the events that had taken place. The events had become known by the media simply as the “Resurrected Event” Y/N guessed referring to those horrible creatures as the resurrected just sounded nicer than saying the undead or zombies.</p><p> </p><p>Scientists and religious figures struggled to make sense of it all, though no one had a clear answer. Still the television, the internet, and the news were filled with interviews with the top minds of science and religious leaders throwing out their own ideas of what had caused the Resurrected Event.</p><p> </p><p>Scientists threw around several theories about how the dead had returned.</p><p> </p><p>One theory suggested that the dead had risen possibly due to chemicals released from pesticides used on the grasses that covered many cemeteries. Perhaps over time all those chemicals had found their ways through caskets and seeped into the flesh of the dead causing this unforeseen reaction. Another theory had been a secret military experiment involving chem trails that had been released from the atmosphere from jets. Y/N had even heard a theory that suggested that the undead had simply been another step towards the evolution of man. Yet another theory had been that the undead were a result of some sort of parasite that had somehow taken over the corpses of loved ones imitating the undead until the parasites ate away enough of the brain to produce mindless bloodthirsty monsters.</p><p> </p><p>Religious leaders suggested that the undead had risen as the rapture had been upon mankind and that man was foolish enough to question God and interrupt what was meant to be. This theory irritated Y/N to be honest, mostly because it suggested that people who had done what Kyle had done had somehow committed some sort of sin by trying to rid the world of those monsters. What were they expected to do, allow those things to eat them alive as part of God’s plan?</p><p> </p><p>She’d long ago stopped listening to the news. She felt that no one had any answers, not really. People were just throwing theories out hoping something would stick.</p><p> </p><p>What had happened was just so senseless, so surreal. People were scrambling to find reason within an event that didn’t seem capable of having any sort of clear reason to it.</p><p> </p><p>Other questions had plagued those who had been left behind.</p><p> </p><p>There was the question of if the undead truly were their loved ones. If the resurrected were in fact their loved ones then why would their loved ones would turn on the living so suddenly?</p><p> </p><p>Had they just grown confused with the realization that they’d come back to the land of the living? Had their brains just rotted so much that they were left with some base sense of hunger? Why had they hungered for flesh? Did they envy the living so much that they just wanted to destroy those who still had life?</p><p> </p><p>Some survivors believed it was possible that souls had returned to the bodies they’d once inhabited and had risen to return to their former lives until the realization that they were dead hit and they went mad and attacked the living. Some believed that the undead had been soulless. That their bodies had been running on biology and had been simply accessing memories from their former lives moving around repeating their former routines as their bodies continued to rot. As rot set into the brain then the undead were reduced to rabid animals.</p><p> </p><p>It seemed that those who remained had been left with more questions than answers.</p><p> </p><p>Kyle spoke his voice soft as Y/N’s sobs began to quieten. “Do you want to talk about it?”</p><p> </p><p>Y/N was tempted to say ‘no’ to resist even having to admit what she’d faced in her dreams. She held back the urge though knowing that she needed to open up with him. He was going to be her husband. She should be able to be honest with him.</p><p> </p><p>She spoke only pulling back from his chest far enough to speak her voice soft. “It was just like all the other dreams. We were still at the Levin’s this time…still sleeping on that air mattress in the study. In my dream I woke up and you weren’t in bed beside me anymore. I couldn’t find you so I got up and went looking…and I found you, but you weren’t you anymore.”</p><p> </p><p>Kyle squeezed her a little tighter already knowing how to finish her story. “I was one of those things…and I attacked you.”</p><p> </p><p>Y/N nodded her head feeling helpless unable to form the words. The dream was always the same. It didn’t matter what location they were in, she would always somehow be separated from Kyle only to find him as one of those monsters.</p><p> </p><p>She resisted the urge to gaze up at Kyle almost fearing she would see an upset expression on his face. The first time she’d opened up to him about the details of this nightmare he’d been hurt…she could tell.</p><p> </p><p>She could still remember the soft words he’d whispered a frown crossing his features that very first time she’d described the horrors in her dreams. “Baby, I’d never hurt you. You know that.”</p><p> </p><p>She’d reassured him that of course she new he’d never hurt her. Kyle would never lie a fingertip on her, she knew this. She trusted him more than she’d ever trusted anyone.</p><p> </p><p>As time had gone on though, Kyle had realized that the dreams went much deeper than any fear that he might harm her. She didn’t think he’d hurt her, the dream was more complex than that.</p><p> </p><p>She worked up the nerve to speak expressing that complexity out loud. “I think it’s just my brain throwing my worst fears at me…I’ve lost so much Kyle. I mean, I lost my job and my apartment was pretty much a wreck when we were able to go check it out. So, I lost so many of my belongings…my roommate was…dead.”</p><p> </p><p>She paused chills running down her back at the memory, Kyle squeezing her all the tighter. Her roommate had been torn to shreds.</p><p> </p><p>Clean up crews had removed the bodies of the undead and the victims from the streets and homes, but you could still see hints of the mess left behind.</p><p> </p><p>Kyle pressed a kiss to her temple as she spoke again her voice cracking as she struggled not to start crying again. “I assume that my mother is dead as well…I mean, she’s pretty much disappeared off the face of the earth. So she’s presumed dead. My boss is dead, I don’t see any of my old coworkers because my job is gone. I’ve lost so much already Kyle. You’re all I have left, the only positive thing. My brain taunts me with the possibility of losing you. I think that’s why I keep dreaming about you becoming one of those things.”</p><p> </p><p>Kyle pressed another kiss to her temple his voice soft and soothing. “You know that’s not going to happen right? I won’t become one of those things. We signed the paperwork for cremation. If there’s a chance of coming back still we aren’t going to let it happen.”</p><p> </p><p>Y/N felt another chill run down her spine knowing that Kyle’s words were meant to be comforting, but it was still a harrowing thing to imagine.</p><p> </p><p>The handling of the dead had changed since the Resurrected Event. Cremation was the popular choice now when it came of how to lie your loved ones to rest.</p><p> </p><p>People had begun to sign and file clauses in their wills that stated that they wanted to be cremated if and when they died. Kyle’s entire family had filled out the proper paperwork to ensure cremation would be the only way their bodies were disposed of, Y/N had signed the paperwork as well.</p><p> </p><p>If there was a chance of the dead coming back again someday, neither Kyle nor Y/N wanted to give their souls bodies to return to. The idea sounded horrifying. The undead were suffering. Coming back would guarantee endless suffering.</p><p> </p><p>The only other option available besides cremation was burial, but burials were handled with strict preventative measures now. The deceased would have a long bolt impaled through the backs of their heads. The theory was that if destroying the brain killed the undead then perhaps destroying the brain of the deceased would stop them from ever returning to begin with. Just in case steel sheets were placed over graves now, it was mandatory if you wanted to be buried in the state of California.</p><p> </p><p>The idea of returning to her corpse only to be trapped entombed in the earth for all eternity sounded horrifying to Y/N.</p><p> </p><p>She forced her mind to pull away from death practices as she spoke her voice scratchy from crying. “I know, my brain still wants to taunt me with the possibility of losing you though. You’re the last sense of happiness I have left.”</p><p> </p><p>“You won’t lose me. I promise. I’ve survived this far, I’m not going anywhere.” Kyle replied he doing his best to reassure her pressing a soft kiss to her lips neither minding the stale taste of sleep on their breaths.</p><p> </p><p>They kissed for a long while before Kyle pulled away speaking again. “I know how it is though, the fear. I mean, how many nights have you held me while I sobbed over dreams?”</p><p> </p><p>It was her turn to squeeze him she practically wrapping herself around him Kyle and she a mess of tangled limbs.</p><p> </p><p>Kyle began to stroke her back again his voice tense. “I dream about the same situation. My dream is usually the same. I’m still back with the resistance. I’m clearing out a house and I can hear something off in a back bedroom somewhere…so I raise my gun ready to shoot until I find you…but you aren’t you..not anymore. You’re one of those things and you look up at me. Your eyes look so empty. All I can think about is how much I love looking into your eyes, but now they don’t look the same…the just look so wrong. I just freeze up, I can’t shoot you. I love you too much to make myself fire the gun. I know you’re suffering, but I can’t make myself have mercy on you. You start moving towards me and I can’t force myself to run. You’re so awful looking…just decaying away before my eyes. Your flesh is so gray and you’re so cold. You sound like you’re trying to say my name, but it’s so raspy sounding. You’ve still got my engagement ring on your finger and I can’t take my eyes off it. The dream always ends the same. I just let you tear into me…I let you kill me, because I know that if you’re dead then I don’t want to live any longer. I know I’d rather be dead and risk becoming like you then have to kill you and live the rest of my life without you.”</p><p> </p><p>He let out a shaky sigh the memory of the dream making his heart ache. He’s surprised he can remember it in such detail. He never really remembered his dreams before the nightmares had started. He wished he didn’t remember these dreams.</p><p> </p><p>He spoke again his voice so weak. “I think I’m afraid of the same thing you are, losing you. I know I’d still have my family…I was one of the lucky ones. My family lived, most of the people I knew survived. I wouldn’t be able to keep living if you didn’t survive though. I think my brain knows that and it uses it to it’s advantage to haunt me. I’m having a hard time dealing with everything…I think we all are. You’re the most important person in my life. The thought of losing you after all I’ve seen. It frightens me.”</p><p> </p><p>He felt his own eyes begin to water as he spoke up once again. “I spent my entire life wanting to get on the force, loving shooting guns, loving the idea of protecting. I wasn’t what I thought it’d be. It was horrible. I saw so many familiar faces and all I could think was that I survived and they didn’t and how unfair it was that they didn’t make it.”</p><p> </p><p>“I know baby. I wish I could say I completely understood. I can’t though…I didn’t see what you did. I was pretty useless during the entire event.” Y/N admitted insecurity escaping her as she thought of the role she’d played during the entire Resurrected Event.</p><p> </p><p>“You weren’t useless.” Kyle remarked a frown crossing his features his eyes still watering.</p><p> </p><p>Y/N wiped the tears from his cheeks shaking her head as she replied. “Yes I was. I did nothing but get attacked and hide in a safe-house. I would have been ripped to shreds if you hadn’t been there to save my life that night.”</p><p> </p><p>She buried her face against his chest shame washing over her. She kept thinking back to everything that had happened. She’s been such a coward. She’d felt like a pathetic damsel in distress. Every single time she’d sworn that she didn’t need anyone to protect her had come back to bite her in the ass that night.</p><p> </p><p>Kyle pulled his hand from her back placing it against her cheek forcing her to look up at him. “You survived Y/N. Baby I didn’t need you to fire a gun or clear the streets or do anything more. You did what you were capable of in that moment. I think we all did. I mean, you almost died that night. If I hadn’t have gotten my ammo in my gun and been able to fire that night then you wouldn’t have been able to hold her off much longer. You fought her the best you could. My mom told me what you did at the Levin’s, how you held everything together and listened in on the radio…how you took care of survivors as they came in. You did exactly what I knew you’d do. Don’t let me hear you call yourself useless again.”</p><p> </p><p>Y/N managed to give him a smile though it came out as weak. Kyle pressed his lips to hers her head resting against his chest once more as they pulled from the kiss.</p><p> </p><p>She sighed knowing it would be a long time until she was able to fall back to sleep. Her mind still felt like a muddled mess even with Kyle’s reassurances.</p><p> </p><p>She had to wonder how much longer she’d have nights like this. She had a feeling she would experience nights like this for the rest of her life. That was how trauma worked wasn’t it?</p><p> </p><p>She managed to speak needing to pull her mind from this mess. She knew her voice sounded needy almost begging. “Talk to me about something nice. Talk to me about the future.”</p><p> </p><p>Kyle’s hand returned underneath her shirt beginning to rub her back again a tight smile crossing his lips as he spoke. “Well I can’t tell you about the wedding, because my mom and you are keeping most of the finer details of those plans a secret from me.”</p><p> </p><p>Y/N let out a small giggle at this comment the sound making Kyle’s heart swoon. He so rarely got to hear her laughter nowadays. She spoke managing to press a quick peck to his lips. “It’s a surprise. You’re involved with the planning that won’t spoil the surprise.”</p><p> </p><p>Kyle gave her a genuine smile relieved to see that her spirits seemed to be lightening. He knew she had a point, some of the finer details about the wedding should be a surprise to him.</p><p> </p><p>Planning the wedding had been a comfort for everyone, It was a return to some sense of normalcy at least. It gave everyone something positive to look forward to.</p><p> </p><p>Kyle continued to massage her back as he spoke up. “I do know that the wedding is going to be in my parent’s backyard. It’s going to be small, but that’s what we want even if my mom wants to invite every single person she knows. We’re going to get married, and I’m taking you somewhere nice for our honeymoon. It might only be the California coast, but we’re still going to make it romantic.”</p><p> </p><p>He paused pressing a kiss to her temple as he spoke again. “And on our honeymoon we’re going to get started on a family of our own.”</p><p> </p><p>Y/N widened her eyes this declaration leaving her feeling torn. She wanted a family with him. They’d talked about kids before…but that was before the event had happened. She spoke not helping but to voice her uncertainties. “You aren’t afraid…I mean, you aren’t scared of us bringing a child into this world when things could go to hell all over again?”</p><p> </p><p>Kyle furrowed his brow his lips pressing to her temple once again a bit surprised by how sure of his words he was. The answer screamed in the back of his brain. “I’m terrified. I think we both know that life is fragile…that things can change in an instant. I think that’s why it seems senseless to wait. I spent so long waiting in our relationship…waiting to move out and give you a private place to visit me…waiting to propose…waiting to grow up. I don’t want to wait anymore. I don’t want another catastrophic life threatening event to be the thing that forces me to take that next step with you. There’s always a risk that the dead could rise again. The fear of it happening again will probably never disappear. I don’t want that fear to stop us from living though. We want kids. I don’t want anything to stop us from trying to make that happen. I love you and I just want to live. We survived, not it’s time for us to thrive.”</p><p> </p><p>“I love you too. We can’t stop living.” Y/N replied  her fears fading in an instant. She knew he was right. They’d survived. They had to make the most of their lives.</p><p> </p><p>“We won’t stop living. We survived.” Kyle insisted as she began to press kisses along his jawline.</p><p> </p><p>Their lips met another ‘I love you’ being shared between them as clothing was shed they allowing themselves to get lost in one another. They were alive and they were going to feel alive.</p><p> </p><p>Kyle was right. They might live the rest of their lives fearing that the dead could rise again, but that wasn’t going to stop them from living. No matter what happened they shouldn’t deny themselves happiness.</p><p> </p><p>They had survived.</p>
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